String plate for grand pianos



March 2 1926.

.w. G. BETZ STRING PLATE FOR GRAND PLANOS Fild July 17. 1922 fraz/@7275? baelrwardly through the supporting inea Patented Mar., 2, 1926.

UNITED STVL PTT QFFICE.

WILLIAM Gr. BETZ, 0F HAMMGND, IRTDANA, ASSGNR TO STRAUBE PIANO C0., OF HAMILOND, NDl-LNA, A CRGBATGN OF ENDIANA.

STRNG PLATE FOR GRAND EANOS,

Application filed July i7,

T0 @ZZ whom t may conce/M2.:

Be it known that I, lVILLmM G. Enr/Z, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hammond, in the county of ke and State of indiana, have invented a ceALL new and useful mproveinent in String ilates for Grand Pianos, of which the following` is full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specilication.

My invention relates to string plates for grand pianos, an object being to provide an improved and simplified construction of this character. A feature of my invention is the provision of an improved and simplified pressure bar construction which is preferably arranged as an over-hanging extension of the main frame of the string plate and positioned above the hammer opening and arranged so that the strings eend horizontally above the hammer opening and held by the supporting p rtion of the pressure bar, after which the strings extend for the supporting member toward the tuning pins.

For a better understanding of my invention reference is to be had to the accom: panying drawings in which- Fig. l is a plan view of a portion of the string' plate and associated parts of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through Fig. l, and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a portion of a modified form of my invention.v

Referring now more in detail to the arrangement shoWn in Figs. l and 2, l show a portion only of a string plate for grand pianos containing my improved construction, as it is thought it is unnecessary to show an entire string plate and that those slrilled in the art will readily understand my invention herefrom Without an involved and complicated drawing of a completed plate.

The string plate A, except for my improvement, may be of any of the standard constructions, including the hitch piY portion 5 and the tuning pin plate portion 6, which parts 5 and 6 may be connected together in the usual way by integral cast bridge connecting members. The portion 5 of the string plate has the usual hitch pins 7 suitably secured therein and the rear or 1922. Serial No. 575,554.

tuning pin portion 6 is suitably fastened over the pin blank 8 made up of laminated wood and suitably secured such as by screws 9. The usual hammer openings lO are, of course, provided being suitably positioned and proportioned in a well known manner and which will be readily understod by those familiar with such nia ters. The sounding board ll is shown beneath the string or hammer opening and the bridge piece i2 is also shown for illustration. The i3 extend across from the hitch pins 'l to the tuning pins la, passing over the bridge piece l2 when used so as to bring the strings to the proper height.

New in order to support the strings at the tuning pin end of the string plate, l provino a support preferably positioned above the hammer or string opening and extending along the opening to support the associated strings. rlhe pressure bar is in the forni of a longitudinal member 15 e3:-

uding from the plate G and is transversely `hert rigid construction so that tho 113 pass beneath the supporting porand then baclr to the tuning pins l-flthrough the supporting section which is preferably cast integral with the plate G, and having suitable openings 1G therein through which the strings pass and clear. Between Ythe pressure bar and the tuning pins lli l preferably provide a bridge piece l? vhich is preferably of a non-instable inaterial and constructed so as to lead the strings to the tuning pins at the proper angle. l also preferably provide a string supportingrod 18 preferably of a non-rustable material suitably set into the member l5 so that it will be retained in position and will not be displaced by the strings. rlhe hammer l5) is shown being adapted to be nioved upwardly along the dotted line into the hammer or string opening to striire the strings. ln the disposition of the various supporting parts l prei'erably arrange points 2O and 2l beneath the plane of the supporting surface of the bridge piece 'l2 so as to cause the strings to bear against the bridge. The strings then pass rearwardly and upwardly above the point 2l through the supporting member of the pressure bar and over the bridge piece 17 and then baelr to the tuning pins le. Thus the course of the strings is such that they are held under a tension at their supports In Fig. 3 I have shown a modified form of my invention wherein the pressure bar is set back of the hammer or string opening and its string supporting edge 18 is preferably an integral portion of the. support. Also, the bridge piece 17 is cast integral with the rest of the string plate.

It will thus be seen that I have provided an improved and simplified string plate for grand pianos, eliminating the expensive agrafe construction or over-head pressure plate construction heretofore in use, thus supplying a construction which is not only simpler than those heretofore in use, but also more positive in its action because among other things there are no long unsupported bridge pieces or pressure plates or individual agraifes, which permit the strings to become out of alignment or in which the parts spring or become loose.

IVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

A string plate for grand pianos. made up of an integral casting including a main frame having an opening therethrough with a tuning pin section and a hitch nin section on opposite sides of the opening and with an Orificed pressure bar extending along above the hammer opening so as to support the strings across the opening and permit their extension beneath the bar then through the orifice and then along over the top of the frame to the timing pins, said frame being shaped to be positioned above the sounding board of the piano and said hammer opening being wide enough to permit placing a bridge piece over the sounding board over which the strings pass freni the hitch pins to the pressure bar, and a support between the pressure bar and tuning pins over which the strings pass, said tuning pins being angular-ly disposer so to slightly lean, and said supp rt being posi tioned so as to lead the strings into th tuning pins substantially at right angles to the axis of rotation of the pins.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 5th day of June A. D.,

WILLIAM G. BETZ. 

